EDWARDSVILLE – The Edwardsville High School under-16 summer baseball team overcame a slow start after trailing in the second with three runs in the third, then scored six times in the fifth en route to an 11-8 win over the Belleville East under-16 team in a game played Tuesday evening at the Edwardsville Sports Complex.
The Tigers had some players who hadn’t played in a week after most of the team played in a tournament in Indianapolis this past weekend, and it may have helped account for the slow start.
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“I thought, for the most part, we took a good group of guys to Indianapolis this past weekend,” said Tigers under-16 coach Mike Sabatino, “so a majority of the guys had a week off, so it seemed like it took three innings or so to really get the bats going, and once we started swinging it, we scored some runs in a hurry and were able to put up some runs quick and get the win.”
In addition, Edwardsville used a team of pitchers to get big outs when called upon, and it’s been improving as the season has progressed.
“Our pitching has been getting better each week,” Sabatino said. “Each weekend, it’s been really able to tell in the tournaments, and this weekend’s going to be a big test for us, in our group. We’re playing in a big Illinois State tournament, and pitching’s going to be the key. If we’re able to throw strikes, make plays, we’re going to be just fine.”
The team as a whole has been getting better as things have progressed, and according to Sabatino, have all competed well.
“I think our guys have been competing well,” Sabatino said. “Each week, each day, we’re learning. It’s a learning process each day; our guys come out here ready to compete, ready to attack the day. It’s fun to get here and work with each guy, and to see the development they’re having throughout the summer.”
The Tigers jumped out in front in the home half of the opening inning with one out. Luke Schaefer doubled to right-center field and was singled home by Adam Powell to give Edwardsville a 1-0 lead. The Lancers struck for four in the top of the second, starting with a one-out walk to James Welches. Welches then stole second and scored on Alex Matter’s single to right. A walk to Alan Mason base hit and a walk to Blake Gray loaded the bases, which were cleared when Caleb Guthrie hit the first pitch to the right-center field fence for a three-run triple that gave East the lead at 4-1.
The Tigers got a run back in the last of the second on a lead-off double by Jake Ziolkowski, who advanced to third on a wild pitch, and an RBI single by Luke Bowen to cut the Lancer lead to 4-2. Edwardsville took the lead back in the bottom of the third, starting when Bryce Beegle was hit by a pitch to lead things off, taking second on a Cade Hardy single, and scoring on an RBI single by Schaefer. One out later, Spencer Stearns doubled home a pair of runs to give the Tigers the lead back 5-4.
The Lancers retied the game in the top of the fourth, starting with a Mason base hit. Gray sacrificed Mason to second and was singled home by Guthrie to draw the Lancers level at 5-5. Stearns, who came in to pitch the inning, struck out the next two batters to keep the game tied.
The Lancers took the lead back in the top of the fifth when Welches led off with a walk, then two outs later, a walk to Mason and an RBI single by Gray gave the Lancers the lead at 6-5. Guthrie then walked to put runners at first and second, but Wil Hein forced Gray at third to end the inning.
Edwardsville then went off on its six-run fifth inning to take the lead for good. Hardy and Schaefer led the inning off with walks, but Hardy was picked off second for the first out. Powell then singled Schaefer to third, and Stearns then doubled home both Schaefer and Powell to give Edwardsville a 7-6 lead. Stearns took third on an error during a rundown after Ziolkowski hit into a fielder’s choice, and scored on Bowen’s RBI single. A ground out by Pierce Boyer drove home another run to make it 10-6. Zack Schmidt then singled, and an error on a fielder’s choice brought in Schmidt to make it 11-6. Hardy then singled, but Jay Bolton was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
Kyle Richardson led off the Lancer sixth with a walk, then came around to score on three wild pitches to cut the lead to 11-7, and in the top of the seventh, Mason started the inning with a double, and two outs later, singles by Hein and Richardson brought in Mason to make it 11-8 before a pop out to second ended the game.
The Tigers will play in the tournament at Illinois State University in Bloomington-Normal this weekend, and Sabatino is looking forward to it and hopes that his team continues to progress and improve as the summer goes along.
“I hope we continue to compete,” Sabatino said, “stay within ourselves, not try to do too much, and the biggest thing is to trust the process. If you trust the process, you’re gonna be just fine, and be confident as the summer goes on.”
